In 2005, Sean Avery denied accusations made against him regarding Oilers tough-guy George Laraque. Laraque, who is black, claimed that Avery called him a "monkey," which Avery said he completely made up.

Since leaving Los Angeles, Avery has calmed down considerably, but it doesn't mean his past behaviors have been forgotten. Alexander Frolov, Avery's teammate in Los Angeles and the New York Rangers, spoke with a Russian magazine, sports.ru, about Avery's ways, according to NBC's Pro Hockey Talk blog:

Frolov was asked why everyone hates Avery. His response:

"It's not hate, it's …. He has a specific role, he is a pretty unique man and he likes to do, let's say, extravagant things. Sometimes they'd be bordering on the forbidden. He isn't a fool. Lately he has become calmer, smarter. Before he’d get swept away with emotions and do something stupid.

"To mention each and every one of his stunts … Something always happens around him, it's a part of his job. He needs to be talked about. He loves it, he feels at home in the spotlight. Sometimes he called opponents 'black monkeys.' He did a lot of things, I can't remember all of them."

Frolov, who will be playing in the Russian K-League next season, made these comments while in Russia. The forward did say that he and Avery are friends and they still talk.